The present invention relates in general to treatment devices that are used to assist with and facilitate the healing and recovery of a patient-user. Such treatment devices may be used before or after surgery or in lieu of surgery. More specifically, the present invention relates to a knee extension treatment apparatus that assists the patient-user with exercising and stretching before and/or following knee surgery. In other instances, the treatment apparatus according to the present invention may be used in lieu of surgery.
It is important that patients recovering from knee surgery initiate knee exercise/stretching treatment promptly after surgery to maintain knee joint flexibility and shorten the period for recovery. Patient compliance with a predetermined physical treatment protocol is key to early patient recovery with optimal joint flexibility and function. In certain situations, benefits are derived by following a knee treatment protocol before surgery. In other situations, a knee treatment protocol may be used in lieu of surgery. While there have been many devices developed to provide knee extension and exercise treatment, each has its complexities or difficulties of use that have tended to reduce patient compliance with therapeutic or treatment protocols designed for early and effective recovery.
The present invention provides a knee extension treatment apparatus that can be easily transported for patient home use, and one that can be used by the post-operative or post-trauma patient with minimal instruction and without assistance of attending medical practitioners, family members or friends. Similarly, the treatment apparatus may be used before or in lieu of surgery. The present invention provides a simple, effective, user adaptable knee extension treatment apparatus. The apparatus is configured to allow the patient-user to lie in a comfortable recumbent position during each treatment session. The apparatus provides an easy-to-use force translation system for efficient and effective delivery of knee straightening forces to areas on the top of the patient's leg. One earlier knee extension treatment apparatus is disclosed in the patent application of Callanan et al., U.S. Ser. No. 10/237,812, filed Sep. 9, 2002, now pending. The Callanan et al. patent application is expressly incorporated by reference herein for its entire disclosure.
The Callanan et al. invention provides a knee extension treatment apparatus for use by a patient in a recumbent position. The patient's hip corresponding to the leg requiring treatment rests on the surface of a base component of the apparatus. The leg requiring extension treatment is elevated to a level above the surface upon which the patient user is resting and is held in position by a height adjustable elevated ankle support. The apparatus is preferably designed to be collapsible into an easily transported unit so that it can be used by the patient at home. The apparatus includes a base having a patient user proximal surface for supporting the patient user's hip and a user distal portion. The apparatus also includes an ankle support member, preferably one of adjustable height mounted on a user distal portion of the base. The apparatus also includes a pulley system for translating a force applied toward the user proximal end of the base and having a major vector component parallel to the surface of the base to a force having a major vector component substantially orthogonal to the base. The pulley system is designed to maintain the tension in the system resulting from the patient applied force. In one embodiment the pulley system enables the applied force to be translated into a mechanically advantaged force having a major component substantially orthogonal to the base. The apparatus also includes a force transmitting element for engaging both knee proximal and knee distal portions of the patient's elevated leg. The force transmitting element has at least one user engageable/disengageable connector for attaching the element to the pulley system for applying the translated based-orthogonal force to areas on the upper surface of the patient's elevated leg proximal and distal of the elevated knee which applied forces tend to straighten the leg and extend the knee joint.
While the earlier Callanan et al. invention is described in the application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/237,812 as being collapsible into a “compact, easily transported unit”, there is some degree of complexity in view of the various pulleys, cables, and the ankle support that all have to be disassembled and then reassembled in order to achieve the concept of being collapsible. The present inventors envisioned that improvements could be made to the Callanan et al. structure if the complexity could be reduced and if the new design could be made easier in terms of collapsibility, transporting, storage, and/or set up. Changing to lighter weight materials would add to the convenience of this device so long as the overall structure could be designed with sufficient strength and durability while still using these lighter weight materials, such as tubular metal framing or molded plastic. A further improvement envisioned by the present inventors is to make the collapsed size smaller, thereby making both transport and storage of the apparatus easier. Further, it was envisioned by the present inventors that the pulley mechanism of Callanan et al. could be simplified while retaining the ratchet tightening feature that is under the control of the user by means of a pull cable connected to tightening straps placed over the leg on opposite sides of the knee.